Strong As Steel
by Alter Ego X
Summary: Change is in the air. Not only does a girl start attending Red Fountain, but a boy is enrolled in Alfea, too. Will they make it to graduation, or will their classmates force them to drop out?


I know some of you may think "why write a fanfic of something as dumb as Winx Club?" but this is different. I don't like how they limit not only the roles and personality of the girls, but the boys as well. The girls can only be fairies with magic and little courage, needing to be rescued from nearly every scrape, or witches who can be tough, yet live to cause chaos and hurt people. The guys, on the other hand, never have magic and rely on muscle instead of brains. Why can't guys have just as much magic as girls? Why can't girls be just as tough as guys and still be good? It's never mentioned that the schools are only for one gender, either. This is why I am writing this fanfic, to shake up the stereotypes and "rules" of the Winx world.

I don't intend to include the students from the show as I think it would be torture to try to write them. So this story will take place after Bloom and friends graduate.

Thanks to Reyana Draconis and her story Under Shadowed Wings, which has inspired my writing and kept it on track.

I do not own Winx Club or any characters found within it. If I did, the show would be different.

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"Who is that?"

"Is she one of those Alfea girls?"

"I hope so!" The boys around her chuckled.

"But what's she doing here?"

She walked boldly across the courtyard, pack slung over her shoulder, toward the broad-shouldered man holding a notepad who stood in the middle of the open space. She reached him just as a boy, also with a pack over his shoulder, finished speaking with the intimidating man and walked toward the large building on the far side of the courtyard.

"May I help ye, miss?" the man asked calmly in his Scottish accent.

"Yes, sir. I'm here to learn,"

"Well, I'm afraid ye've got the wrong school, miss. Alfea is on the other side of the forest," he pointed in the direction he mentioned.

"No, sir, if you look on your list you'll find I'm on it. Alex of Mikhan," she explained, pointing to the notepad in his hand. The man searched the list for several seconds. Suddenly, his eyes widened, then narrowed. He slowly lifted his eyes from the pad until they locked with her own.

"Come with me, please," He turned to another man, younger but obviously a teacher, "take over for me."

Together, the man and young lady walked toward the towering main building of the Red Fountain School for Heroics and Bravery.

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"Is this some kind of prank?" Codatorta asked, nearly screaming.

"Calm down, I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for this." Professor Saladin sat in a very plushy chair on the far side of his desk.

"Would either of you kindly explain what is so upsetting?" the small translucent image of a grey-haired woman asked from the desktop.

"I apologize Faragonda, but it seems a young lady has enrolled in Red Fountain."

"Really?" the image of Ms. Faragonda asked, curious.

"Aye, an Alex of Mikhan," Codatorta growled.

"Odd," Faragonda mumbled.

"What's odd?" Saladin leaned forward in his chair.

"Well, Princess Alexa of Mikhan was enrolled in our school this year and she hasn't arrived yet. It probably isn't the same girl but it is still an amazing coincidence." Saladin stood and walked to the curtained window that looked into the waiting room outside his office. Peeking through the curtain, the headmaster looked at the only person there.

It was a girl, about 15 or 16 years old. The long, black, silky hair that fell about her shoulders screamed wealth. Some would describe her face as lovely, but most would define it as majestic and regal.

"Perhaps." Even as he said this Saladin knew the girl waiting outside his office _was_ Princess Alexa.

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Once the princess' identity was confirmed, her parents were notified. It wasn't long until all three members of the royal family were together in Professor Saladin's office along with the elderly headmaster and his very upset armsmaster, Codatorta.

"I feel I must apologize for my daughter's behavior, Headmaster. I'm sure she did not intend to upset the order of your school's system," The Queen assured Saladin, "did you, dear?" She turned and addressed her daughter slouching in the seat next to her.

"Of course I didn't…" the girl began.

"Good, then it's all settled." The king of Mikhan stood. "I'm sure you have more important work to do, so we'll leave you to it." The king bowed slightly to the professors as his wife stood.

"Come along, dear," she called soothingly.

"No, mother." Alexa sat up, but did not stand with her parents.

"No?!" Both parents looked stunned.

"I'm going to study here."

"You most certainly will not! Michael, tell her."

"_Princesses_ go to Alfea. And no daughter of mine will stay at a boys' school!" the king bellowed.

"I don't care!" Alexa leapt out of her chair, knocking it over. "If you send me to Alfea, I'll run away. There's nothing you can do to keep me there."

"Oh, is there?" King Michael towered over his daughter in stature but was matched by her stubborn presence.

"Even if you magically restrict me to the grounds, I won't go to class, I won't do any work, and I'll break every rule until I'm kicked out." Her voice was a river of cold anger. The tension between father and daughter built for over a minute.

"Very well, you may attend Red Fountain, if Professor Saladin has no objections…" the grey-haired headmaster raised his hand halfway and shook his head.

"No, none at all." The armsmaster looked at his superior in shock and frustration.

"That is," the king continued, "as long as you pass all of your classes. If you fail even one, you'll transfer to Alfea and show the same dedication there as you will here, more even. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father. Thank you, father."

"I expect Ms. Faragonda will be rather upset at the trouble this will cause her," commented the queen calmly.

"I already have a solution, mother. Do you remember Cooper?"

"Your cousin?"

"Yes. We had decided that when this was settled, one way or another, he would take my place at Alfea."

"A boy at Alfea?!" boomed Codatorta, "What's next? A pixie at Cloud Tower?" Saladin sent a controlling look to his armsmaster, quieting him.

"It's up to Ms. Faragonda, of course, but if he has sufficient magic, there should be no problem with him attending Alfea." A small grin appeared on Saladin's face. This was going to be an interesting year for both schools.

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